Avid Extends its Lead in Music Composition and Notation Software with New Version of Sibelius | First

Burlington, MA, 21.10.2016

Sibelius | First 8 delivers flexible cloud subscription and industry-leading enhancements, giving beginner and intermediate composers the best tools to create professional-quality scores

Avid® (Nasdaq: AVID) today announced the availability of Sibelius® | First 8, the “lite” version of Sibelius, the world’s best-selling music composition and notation software. Delivering on Avid’s commitment to innovation and customer choice, the new version offers numerous innovations, including flexible cloud subscription options as well as a host of timesaving features and software improvements. Integrated into Avid Everywhere™, Sibelius | First 8 expands Avid’s growing portfolio of solutions that leverage cloud software delivery and application management.

Available as a subscription or perpetual license, Sibelius | First 8 features many of the same composition tools and is built on the same foundation as the full, professional version used by the world’s leading composers. Powerful enough to produce richly detailed professional scores, yet simple enough for beginners, composing enthusiasts and musicians to use, the streamlined and affordable version makes it easy for anyone to create and share high-quality, professional scores.

“The continued innovation of Sibelius | First demonstrates Avid’s commitment to offering customers even greater choice and flexibility, and giving composers of all levels access to the world’s best music composition and notation software,” said Dana Ruzicka, Vice President and Chief Product Officer at Avid. “With its industry-leading updates, Sibelius | First 8 enables music writing enthusiasts and beginners to use the same tools as the world’s greatest professional composers.”

With Sibelius | First 8 composers can:

• Get easier access to core Sibelius tools – Direct access to foundational composition tools without advanced workflows found in the full version of Sibelius makes it easier for beginners to immerse themselves in creating without the distractions of high-level features. 
• Express themselves more authentically – Expressive playback with Espressivo 2 captures every nuance and cadence, providing a rich, full sound that’s more cohesive and natural. The updated interface and support for high-resolution Windows displays allows users to see every detail of their compositions clearly.
• Compose with ease and flexibility – Many of the same enhancements and improvements found in the full version of Sibelius are included in the update, including new keyboard shortcuts, compatibility with the latest Mac and Windows operating systems, a new Application Manager and over 200 software improvements.
• Work faster and with more detail – With an updated interface, users can see every detail of their score in stunning clarity, and gain faster access to the features they need most with new and improved icons.
• Write music with a pen on a Surface Pro 3 – Optimized for the Microsoft Surface Pro 3 tablet, users can now add and edit notes quickly with just the tap of a pen, as well as play music in real time using the software’s onscreen keyboard and fretboard.
• Interact with scores using multi-touch gestures – Users can quickly zoom in and out of a score when working on a laptop with a trackpad or using a Surface Pro 3 using a simple pinch-zoom gesture, making navigation and editing easier.

Pricing & Availability

The new version of Sibelius | First is now available as a monthly or annual subscription, or can be purchased outright. Customers who own any previous version of Sibelius | First, Student, Instrumental Teacher Edition, or G7, can upgrade to Sibelius | First 8 at the special low price of $39 (USD) through December 31, 2016.

To purchase and learn more about Sibelius | First, visit: http://www.avid.com/sibelius-first.